Celiac Disease By: ap bio Student

Celiac Disease Digestive Condition Triggered by the consumption of the protein gluten Affects the small intestine Causes damage to inner surface of small intestine and inability to absorb certain nutrients

Who Gets It? Can occur in children and adults Exact cause of the disease is unknown but is said to run in families Celiac disease is more common in people who have: Type 1 diabetes, down syndrome, autoimmune thyroid disease, and microscopic colitis.

Symptoms No typical signs and symptoms of this disease Most general symptoms are: diarrhea, abdominal pain, and bloating Damage to the small intestine causes the inability to absorb nutrients and can cause other symptoms such as: weight loss, fatigue, stunted growth, and osteoporosis.

How is it Diagnosed & When? Usually a person must first notice the signs of celiac disease and then see a doctor However, testing may be recommended if it runs in your family A child who is pale, irritable, fails to grow, is pot-bellied, and has foul-smelling stools should be checked for this disease Tests to diagnose celiac disease include: blood tests, collecting a sample of the small intestine, and swallowing a small camera that takes pictures of the small intestine

How is it Treated? There is no cure but can be managed Must have a gluten-free diet Complete healing and regrowth of the villi in the small intestine may take up to three years Vitamins may be given to fight nutritional deficiencies

Who Treats it? A person who has signs or symptoms of the disease may be referred to a gastroenterologist Gastroenterologists treat diseases of the digestive tract These doctors must attain a bachelor’s degree, go to medical school, finish their residency of two to three years, and then have additional training for two to three years as well Have a median salary of 350,000 dollars a year

Statistics & Cool Facts Latest research estimates that 1 in 141 Americans have the disease 5-22% of celiac patients have an immediate family member who also has celiac Estimated that 83% of Americans who have celiac are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with other conditions Gluten-free sales reached more than $2.6 billion by the end of 2010 and are expected to exceed more than $5 billion by 2015

Citations http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/celiac-disease/DS00319/DSECTION=preparing-for-your-appointment http://www.celiaccentral.org/celiac-disease/facts-and-figures/ http://www.news-medical.net/health/Gastroenterology-What-is-Gastroenterology.aspx